SPORTS SHORTS: Jesup hands No. 2 Rebels first loss

Times-Republican Staff

sports@timesrepublican.com

FAYETTE — The Jesup J-Hawks got revenge for last year’s first-round loss at the Class 1A state tournament, beating the second-ranked Gladbrook-Reinbeck boys’ basketball team 65-61 on Saturday at Upper Iowa University.

Ethan Wyant shot 12-for-17 from the field en route to a team-leading 27 points for Jesup (11-1), which won its eighth-straight. Hans Riensche added 12 points off the bench, Joey Youngblut got 11 points and six rebounds, and Tyler Lienau added eight points and eight assists for the J-Hawks.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck senior Joe Smoldt scorched the nets for a career-high 42 points on 16-of-27 shooting with four 3-pointers, adding six rebounds and four assists in the Rebels’ first loss since last year’s state tournament.

Caden Kickbush chipped in with seven points and Tyler Pierce finished with six points and five boards for the Rebels, who host 2A No. 6 South Hamilton on Tuesday night.

Garrett Groth scored a career-high 22 points off the bench to lead GMG (6-6), making four 3-pointers while adding six rebounds to the cause. Austin Cox had seven points and five boards, while Conner Stonewall contributed five points and Hunter Smoldt had four points, a team-high seven rebounds and three blocked shots.

TAMA — South Tama sophomore Jessica Musgrave compiled career-highs of 33 points and 10 steals to lead the Trojan girls’ basketball team to a 73-59 triumph against Benton Community in Friday night’s WaMaC West Division contest.

Musgrave finished 14-for-19 from the field for STC (7-4, 5-1), which led from the outset and piled on with a 24-15 advantage in the fourth quarter. Kaitlin Berger added a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Trojans, who won their sixth in a row.